Title X: Horticulture and Organic Agriculture

Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 established block grants for each State for fiscal years (FY) 2005-09 to enhance specialty crop competitiveness, subject to appropriations.

Continues Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through FY 02012. Increases mandatory levels of Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding to:

• $10 million in FY 2008
• $49 million in FY 2009
• $55 million/year in FY 2010-12

Each State is to receive $100,000 or 1/3 of 1% of total funding for each fiscal year, whichever is higher. If State does not spend its full amount, money will be reallocated to other States.

Eligible "specialty crops" in Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act included fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Adds horticulture to definition of "specialty crop." Adds Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands to list of eligible "States."

Market Access Program: Authorized additional $2 million for promoting specialty-crop exports above amount already authorized under 2002 Farm Act's Trade Title.

Authorizes $200 million annually for FY 2008-12. See Title III, Market Access Program.

Authorized $1 million annually to support emergency eradication and research in response to economic and health threats to agricultural commodities from pests and diseases.

Makes Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention program funding available:

• $12 million in FY 2009
• $45 million in FY 2010
• $50 million in FY 2011, FY 2012, and each year thereafter

Funds are to be used for:

• "Early Plant Pest Detection and Surveillance Improvement Program" to make funding available to States through cooperative agreements for early detection of plant pests newly introduced to U.S. or certain States or areas
• "Threat Identification and Mitigation Program" to assess risks of foreign plant pests and diseases, and to implement plans to help prevent introduction and widespread dissemination of high-consequence plants and diseases
• "Specialty Crop Certification and Risk Management Systems" to develop audit-based certification systems, such as best management practices, to mitigate risk of pests in movement of plants and plant products and to develop nursery plant pest risk management systems

No similar provision.

Creates National Clean Plant Network to house clean plant material and maintain blocks of pathogen-tested plant material throughout U.S. for pathogen diagnosis and elimination. Allows available clean plant material to be used by State-certified plant programs and by private nurseries and producers.

Provides mandatory CCC funding of $5 million annually during FY 2009-12.

No similar provision.

Appropriates funds for loans to local governments to finance purchases of equipment to monitor, remove, dispose of, and replace infested trees located in local government jurisdiction and within quarantine areas infested by plant pests. Maximum amount available to a local area is $5 million.

Permits funding through cooperative agreements with local governments related to eradication, prevention, control, or suppression of plant pests.

No similar provision.

Includes specialty crops as part of each Census of Agriculture.

Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order enacted to increase consumption of Hass avocados in U.S.

Secretary of Agriculture to initiate procedures to determine if Hass avocado industry elects to have a new marketing order that would establish grades and standards for Hass avocados in addition to existing promotion and research program.

Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 provided terms and conditions of mushroom marketing order.

Changes number of regions represented on Board, and number of pounds required for representation in regions, to reflect geographic distribution of mushroom growers and their productivity.

Allows development of food safety practices under mushroom research and promotion order.

No similar provision.

If a Clementine marketing order is requested and approved by the industry, Clementine imports must meet marketing order requirements.

Honey Board has conducted research, advertising, and promotion programs to help maintain and expand honey markets.

Authorizes honey industry referenda regarding establishment of marketing board solely for U.S. honey producers and board for packers, importers, and handlers.

No similar provision.

Establishes program to educate persons involved in fresh produce industry, and public, about sanitary handling practices and ways to reduce pathogens in fresh produce. Authorizes appropriations of $1 million annually during FY 2008-12.

USDA's Market News Program provides price and sales information to assist in marketing and distribution of farm commodities. Reports include information on prices, volume, quality, condition, and other market data on farm products in specific markets and marketing areas.

Expands market news activities to provide timely price information on fruits and vegetables. Authorizes additional $9 million annually for FY 2008-12, to remain available until expended.

Farmers' Market Promotion Program provided grants to local governments, nonprofit corporations, regional farmers' market authorities, or other entities to improve and expand farmers' markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. Authorized appropriations as may have been necessary.

Adds an agri-tourism promotion program to categories of farmer-to-consumer direct marketing activities eligible for funding.

Provides mandatory CCC funding of:

• $3 million for FY 2008
• $5 million/year for FY 2009-10
• $10 million/year for FY 2011-12

Requires at least 10% of funds to be used to support use of electronic benefit transfers from Federal nutrition programs at farmers' markets.

No similar provision.

Authorizes payments to producers currently growing asparagus for revenue losses during crop years 2004-07 due to imports. Mandates funding of $7.5 million for producers of fresh asparagus and $7.5 million for producers of processed or frozen asparagus.

No similar provision.

Authorizes grants to improve cost-effectiveness and address intermodal deficiencies of transporting specialty crops to local, regional, and international markets. Grants available to State and local governments; grower cooperatives; national, State, or regional producer, shipper, or carrier organizations; and other approved groups.

Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 authorized cost-share assistance for organic certification to producers in not more than 15 States that have historically low participation rate in Federal Crop Insurance Program.

Established National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program to assist producers and handlers of agricultural products in obtaining certification under National Organic Program, which was established under Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. Provided $5 million in FY 2002, to remain available until expended. Maximum Federal cost share was 75% annually, with up to $500 paid to individual producer or handler.

Increases mandatory funding for National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program to $22 million in FY 2008, to remain available until expended. Maximum Federal cost share remains at 75%, but cap increases to $750/operation.

Adds State and Federal recordkeeping requirements, and requires Secretary to submit annual report to Congress describing State expenditures.

Required maintenance of segregated data on production and marketing of organic agricultural products in ongoing data collection on agricultural production and marketing.

Provides $5 million in first-time mandatory CCC funding to be available until expended over 5 years for expanded organic data collection initiative. Authorizes additional $5 million/year.

Objectives are to:

• collect and distribute comprehensive reporting of prices relating to organically produced agricultural products
• conduct surveys and analysis and publish reports relating to organic production, handling, distribution, retail, and trend studies (including consumer purchasing patterns)
• develop surveys and report statistical analysis on organically produced agricultural products

Requires Secretary to submit a progress report on implementation of this initiative.

No similar provision.

Authorizes $5 million in funding in FY 2008 (currently $2.6 million) for USDA's program that regulates organic standards and certification. Increases authorized funding to $11 million by FY 2012.